DII Schools Must Play Non-Conference Games Beginning Next Season

The NCAA Division II Management Council has established a new policy that schools must play an in-region nonconference contest in sports that use the NCAA Power Index to be eligible for postseason consideration for those tournaments beginning in 2027-28.  A waiver process will be put in place for schools that can’t initially meet the requirement because of schedule contracts that have already been signed.  For football, the requirement is only to play a nonconference game which does not have to be inside a team’s Super Region.  The council said the games will provide more data to compare teams for seeding and bracketing in the postseason.  The council also approved removing altitude conversions for Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field Championship qualification.